Chapter 2

I don't know how I got to the hospital.

When I woke up, the doctor was already waiting impatiently by my ear.

"Mrs. Lee, you're hemorrhaging badly. We need to know whether to save you or the baby. Your husband needs to come sign the papers immediately!"

I didn't want to contact Adrian anymore.

"Doctor... can I... sign myself?"

The doctor shook her head. She said my own condition was critical—how could I make this decision?

I could only force myself to call Adrian despite my nausea.

At first the phone rang, but then it went straight to voicemail.

"Bed 18! What are you doing? Where is he? Is he coming or not?"

I helplessly dialed again and again. Ironically, while Adrian wouldn't answer my calls, he posted on social media.

It read: "Best friends till death!"

The picture showed his and Jessica's backs as they drank together.

My head throbbed. My heart was dying.

Soon after, Jessica sent me a video.

In the video, on the bed I cleaned every day, torn clothes were scattered everywhere. Adrian and Jessica were tangled together.

At the end, Jessica didn't forget to text: "Clara, is something wrong? Adrian's exhausted and fell asleep!"

I hung up. A tear slid onto the white pillow.

"Bed 18, your condition can't wait any longer. You're hemorrhaging badly. When is your husband coming?" The nurse was anxious again.

I shook my head. "No one's coming. My husband... he just died."

At my words, the nurse's impatient expression turned to shock and sympathy.

In the end, I signed the consent form for the abortion procedure alone and was wheeled into the operating room.

I don't know how long the surgery took. When I opened my eyes, my phone wouldn't stop ringing.

I looked—of course it was Adrian.

I didn't call back. I blocked his contact instead.

During the four or five days I was hospitalized, no one came to my bedside.

A nurse finally couldn't stand it and hired a caregiver for me.

While taking care of me, she asked, "Where's your family?"

My eyes went blank, staring into the distance. "In Harbor City. It's far, and they're old. I didn't want them to make the difficult trip."

The caregiver patted my hand without saying anything.

I suddenly missed home.

My hand reached for my phone and unconsciously dialed Dad's number.

When I realized what I'd done, I quickly hung up.

He must be frantically dealing with problems in Harbor City.

I couldn't let him see me like this.

Soon, my father called back.

I suppressed my longing and let it ring out.

After being discharged, I rushed home to pack my things and leave.

But I had the bad luck of running into Jessica.